Donovan leans over, putting her face in front of mine. “Grey. Hey. Look at me. Stop it. Take me upstairs. Let me clean you up.”
I stand still, staring at Caroline, feeling so much rage. Nobody will ever treat Donovan poorly. Ever. It’s as if she hears my thoughts before I can say them as she speaks.
“I’m fine.” Her hand brushes my cheek. “I’m totally fine. They’re just tits, remember. The whole coast of Spain has seen them.” Her lips spread into a grin. “You can put me down now.”
“No.”
I don’t know why I say no, but it’s not an option. Her body, in my arms—it’s what I need right now.
“Okay then, carry me the whole way up.”
She wraps her arms around me, smothering me with herself, and it’s then that my body starts to calm down. I inhale her as we walk through the living room and up the stairs, staying that way down the hall to the last bedroom before I finally put her to her feet.
“Better now?”
“Yeah. I’ll never let anyone—”
She covers my mouth with her finger. “I know. Thank you. It’s what best friends do.”
I don’t want to be your friend.
Donovan pushes the door open, and I follow her in silently, the stinging in my knuckles beginning to set in past the adrenaline. She points to the bed as she begins looking around.
“Go sit. I’ll find a first aid kit.”
“Top of the medicine cabinet.”
She looks at me, surprised that I know, but I lie back on the bed offering, “This is always my room when we come up.”
“Gotcha,” she answers from the bathroom, shutting the door for a moment before walking back out with a bottle of peroxide, cotton balls, and some Band-Aids. She’s wearing my T-shirt. “Come on, bruiser, sit up.”
I comply and stare at her as she kneels down in front of me, her golden hair catching the light. She slowly tips the bottle onto some cotton balls before bringing it back to the abrasions on my knuckles. The cool sting has me sucking in a breath, but all I get are her ocean eyes glancing up at me and a grin.
Something about the moment brings back an old memory, and I smirk. “Do you remember the last time you had to patch me up?”
Donovan shakes her head before blotting again and pursing her lips to gently blow on my knuckle.
“We were eleven, and Liam’s cousin threw you in the lake. Remember?”
The minute she cried, I was ready to go to war. I wanted to kill Liam’s cousin for his shitty stunt.
Donovan sits back on her haunches, peeling the paper from the Band-Aids.
“Oh my God, yes. He was such a little asshole…what was his name? Aaron! But you punched him in the stomach.”
A smile grows over my face, watching how her face lights up when she speaks. Leaning closer to me, she carefully puts the first Band-Aid on, smiling up as she finishes.
The lines between my eyes crease as I remember the worst part. “Then he punched me back, harder, considering he was two years older.”
She places the last Band-Aid on and smooths it over carefully. Her hands are like silk against mine, and her lashes look like they’re dusting her cheeks from this angle.
“You’re always fearless,” she says, staring at my hands, running her finger gingerly over the bandage.
“Only for you.” Her eyes lift to mine when I say it, but I quickly add, “Do you remember what you did?”
Donovan shakes her head, but I smile because she’s lying. “You kissed my lip, the one he split, to make it better. So technically, I was your first kiss. Make sure you add that the next time someone asks you about your firsts.”
She giggles quietly, knowing I’m talking about Liam asking her that exact question in the library the other day. Pushing off my lap, she stands and brings my hands up to her mouth. “Deal, but this time it’s your knuckles, so this’ll have to do.”
Warm lips press against my knuckles, the way someone would kiss a king’s hand. It’s reverent and so fucking intimate, but this girl has all the power, and she knows it. I rise off the bed and put my hand in her hair. “Stay with me?”
I don’t want to share her with anyone for the rest of the night.
“No place I’d rather be.”
It’s after midnight when a light tap on the bedroom door grabs my attention. I set my phone on the nightstand, clicking off the book I’ve been reading, and look up, but I don’t answer for fear that I’ll wake up the girl who’s been sleeping in my bed since she cleaned my knuckles and gave them a kiss.
The door pushes open and Liam slips inside, closing it quietly behind him.
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “How’s Doug?”
Liam walks to the bed on the side Donovan is sleeping on and lowers down, kicking up his feet.
“Broken nose, fractured ego. He’s worried you’re going to hold a grudge. I told him to relax. He paid his penance. It’s done. I also got a car for Caroline and sent her evil little ass packing along with everyone else. She seemed pretty contrite.”
“She’ll have to do better than regret. And I’m sorry you had to do all the cleanup. Hold on…why didn’t Kai handle her?”
Liam gives a noncommittal shrug. The kind guys give when they don’t want to get a friend in trouble.
“I think he’s busy handling something else. And don’t worry about it, I didn’t mind cleaning up. That’s been you plenty of times. I’m just glad Donovan’s okay.” He motions to our sleeping beauty. “You scared the shit out of her. I haven’t seen you that mad since you tried to take on her dad the day they made her leave.”
I pull the covers up over her, even though she’s decent.
“Keep it down, asshole. That’s not something I care for her to know.”
He grins in response, putting his eyes on her and brushing a strand of her hair from her cheek.
I run my hand down my face. “I don’t know what happened. It’s like it was in slow motion, and then everything went black. Next thing I know, you’ve got me in a headlock, and I’ve beaten his face in.”
“I get it, Grey. She’s our girl. Nobody fucks with her, and that shit wasn’t cool. He deserved what he got. It could’ve been worse.”
“How do you figure?” I question, flexing my hand and pulling it into a fist.
He runs his hand over his shorn head and smirks.
“I could’ve let you go. Not stopped it. Trust me, I thought about it, but she was so worried about you.”
I let out a breath, and we sit there in silence. This night has been unexpected to say the least. But even now I’m content. Donovan rolls over toward Liam, tucking her hands under her cheek. He scoots down on the bed so he’s face-to-face with her and stares.
“She’s beautiful when she sleeps.”
My fingers trace her soft locks that are spread out over the pillow.
“She’s beautiful when she’s awake.”
Liam and I look at each other at the same time. Thinking the same damn thought.
Mine.
“This is going to get complicated. You know that, right?”
There’s no point in beating around the bush. He’s my best friend, but that doesn’t exclude him from being my competition. He nods and pushes back to sitting.
“I do. But if I’m fated to lose, I’ll only do it to you.”
“I won’t even do that.”
Donovan moans lightly, rolling over and snuggling in closer to me. Her hand runs over my abs to rest on my chest as she slips her leg over mine. I motion my head for Liam to leave, smiling at his irritation. Begrudgingly he starts to roll off the bed, but her hand reaches back, grabbing his T-shirt and pulling him back behind her.
“Cuddle.”
Her voice is almost inaudible. It’s clear she’s sleeping, but Liam’s brows raise, and he looks at me as she pulls him closer to spoon. I look down at her beautiful sleeping face and shake my head at him, mouthing, “Get the fuck out,” but he ignores me to wrap his
arm around her stomach, tucking her back against him. Asshole.
My left hand finds the back of her thigh and hitches her leg up over my hip while my other is tucked behind my head. I lie there, listening to her heavy sleeping rhythm, staring at the ceiling as my fingers move back and forth against her skin.
“Dude, this is going to be a long fucking night,” Liam whispers, gently shaking the bed with his laughter.
“No, this is going to be a long fucking year.”
Donovan
MY REFLECTION IN THE WINDOW mixes against the dark sky outside as if all the stars are just within my reach. The moon’s gleaming off the lake, casting a spell with its stillness, making me wish I was back outside. Back in that moment—the one I just dreamed—that has me awake and wrapped in a blanket, lost in thought.
I’ve been downstairs in Liam’s lake house for the last twenty minutes trying to wrap my head around how it is I woke up sandwiched between them. Dreaming of being between them.
It’s not really that surprising that my mind would flirt with danger. I’m not a fool. The mutual attraction is impossible to ignore. It’s like embers stoked in a fire every time they touch me, heating me up in all the right ways. But this is exactly the kind of life choice I ran from.
Now, however, there’s nowhere to go. In one direction, there’s Grey and what he said to me tonight, telling me he wanted to kiss me and then fighting for my honor. In the other, there’s Liam, wrapping himself around me like I’m his blankie and giving me permission to enjoy all the bad ideas.
Impossible choices, impossible routes, but the real problem is, I like where I am. I shouldn’t, but I do. This ends badly, Donovan. Shit, I’m getting swept up, caught in the spell of lust and attraction, but I need to remember that, eventually, we’ll wake up. When we do, once the spell fades, they’ll hate me because I’ve broken them. And I’ll be left with nothing.
No Liam. No Grey.
My hands pull the soft cashmere blanket tighter around my shoulders as I gnaw on my lip, still thinking the thoughts I shouldn’t. The dream that woke me replays in my mind, like fast snippets on a highlight reel, chipping away all rational thought.
Liam’s hands running slowly down my sternum.
Grey’s fingers digging into my hips.
My back arching.
Lips on me.
Kisses trailed.
Tongues laved.
Moans. Growls. Need.
“What are you doing down here?”
“Shit!” A yell rips from my body as my shoulders jump. “Grey. You scared the shit out of me.”
He grins, making his way to the fireplace, and flips the switch, bringing it to life. “Cold?”
I nod, but it was rhetorical. Grey shivers as his hand runs over his shirtless body. The fire puts him in its glow, holding my attention and making him look like some kind of heavenly demon. Jesus, my eyes are having a very hard time staying away from the hard planes of his chest and the tight muscles that run down his stomach, but I try anyway.
“Here,” I offer, pulling my warm blanket off. “Take this. I’m good.”
He smiles and takes a few steps toward where I’m standing and takes it from me, sweeping it over him and pulling me in as well. It’s so natural, so welcome. So Grey. But I can’t help but hold my breath for just a moment.
“You keep my front warm, Cherry.”
I laugh and twist around so we’re standing, me wrapped in his arms, my back to him, and look out of the window again at the dark expanse. His arms are locked around me. A warm blush, staining my cheeks from my leftover thoughts, makes me give my head a tiny shake just as the wood cracks in the fireplace.
“What?”
His deep voice rumbles in his chest against my back, and I smile to myself, enjoying my secret.
“Nothing,” I answer.
He doesn’t push, instead kisses the top of my head before he leans down to my ear, tightening his hold. “How come you can’t sleep, Donovan?”
His voice is a taunt, slow and accusatory, instead of a question.
My answer is caught in my throat, so I give a slow shrug, finding the grin on my face impossible to ignore. His lips brush the top of my ear, and I swear it’s like he sees inside my head. Grey has to be able to feel my heart pounding because I can almost hear it.
“Do you think it’s the same reason I can’t?”
Fuck. Did he dream about me too? The way his words drift down onto my skin makes goose bumps spread over my skin, and suddenly I’m hyperaware of every part of him that’s touching me.
“I had a nightmare,” I lie, for the sake of my survival.
His hold loosens as his strong hands run up my arms and back down. And it feels way too good, but I’m overthinking. This is just Grey.
“Are you sure? Because it sounded as good as my own.”
My eyes close as he pulls me back into him, and I swallow hard. “What was yours about?”
When he doesn’t say anything back, my eyes drag open, blinking back into reality. Shit. What am I doing? I twist to look back at his face, and I’m met with the most mischievous and only Grey brand of a smirk.
It says everything without him saying anything. His hands find my waist as he stares down at me. I’m overwhelmed, pulled under by his intention. Doesn’t matter that this is a bad idea, that we’ll regret every moment. I have never wanted something to happen more in my life.
Grey lowers his face down so close that his nose brushes mine as he speaks. “What was yours about, Cherry? I bet I could guess. You talk in your sleep.”
My eyes widen as my heart actually stops. “Lie.”
“My name sounds good moaned from your lips.”
Holy shit. My teeth find my lip as his eyes drop to my mouth.
“We shouldn’t—” Damn, I wished that sounded more forceful.
“Probably.”
Grey tilts his head, biting his bottom lip.
“We can’t, Grey.”
“Mmhmm.”
His tongue runs over his top lip like he’s about to enjoy the meal in front of him—me.
“Grey.”
His eyes close as his name leaves my lips like I’m begging. Grey’s hands lower from my waist to my hip bone and dig in before he opens those stormy bedroom eyes. It’s just like in my dream but a thousand times better.
“Do you want to know what I dreamed?”
I don’t answer because my body does it for me. It’s an automatic reaction. My hands find his chest and run up toward his shoulders.
“Cherry pie. All I could eat.”
His eyes never leave mine as he steps in closer. My chest rises and falls so hard that I’m pretty sure my heart is going to burst.
“C’mere,” he whispers seductively.
This shouldn’t happen. We should stop now. Why can’t I? Because I don’t want to.
“Cherry.”
The way he says that nickname, like it’s a wish. Like I’m his wish. It decimates any final resolve I had. My lips part, the words ready to float out, to give him every permission when heavy footsteps pad down the stairs and jerk me from the moment.
Holy hell.
I step back quickly, dropping my hands from Grey’s chest, his eyes locked to mine, and turn my face to watch Liam bounding down the stairs, wearing basketball shorts—only the shorts. Are you fucking kidding me?
“A party without me? That seems wrong.” Liam smirks as he gets to the bottom of the stairs.
I giggle, trying to hide my nerves, walking away from Grey’s scrutiny, knowing that he’s still staring, and make my way to the kitchen for some water.
“You couldn’t sleep either, huh?” I ask Liam over my shoulder as I pull the stainless refrigerator door open.
He answers, but I’m not paying attention. I’m staring off into nothing, pretending to peruse the contents of the fridge as I try and steady the storm of emotions I’m feeling. I just almost kissed Grey. Had the hottest dream of my life about the two guys who are half-dres
sed and standing all of ten feet away. I don’t even know how to process what the hell is going on in my head.
Hands grab at my hips, pulling me from the refrigerator and making me squeal as I’m spun around, picked up, and sat on the cold island counter.
“Hey.”
My smile grows big looking into Liam’s hazel eyes and crooked grin.
“Hey, yourself.”
Liam looks at Grey and lets out a quiet laugh before he stretches his arms wide and yawns, making the muscles on his back ripple in the reflection of the glass cabinet doors.
“I had the best dream, Van. How about you?”
Liam’s words are directed to the ceiling as I blink, staring at his Adam’s apple. Oh shit.
“She had a nightmare. So she says,” Grey interjects, making my eyes flick to him before I narrow them, making him laugh.
Liam steps in between my thighs, getting my attention, and looks right through my bullshit. “Nightmare, huh?”
He slides my body to the edge of the surface, bringing me flush to him and leaning in to speak quietly but still loud enough for Grey to hear. “It’s cool, Van. Your secret’s safe with me.”
This time I can’t help but giggle. These two are trouble. Clearly, I gave more away than I would have liked, but fuck it. Who could blame me? I can either let them torture me forever or own it and move on. I push Liam back and roll my eyes.
“Two days ago, I dreamed I was holding Caroline underwater…doesn’t mean I’ll ever actually kill her.”
Both guys laugh loudly, and Liam pats my leg as he shakes his head before leaving me to take my place in front of the fridge. My attention shifts to Grey, who’s leaned against the marble, arms crossed over his chest. I was just touching that chest. He’s staring back at me, but behind the smirk is something else. Something that looks a lot like knowledge. I can’t help but notice just how comfortable they are with this conversation. Almost in answer to the thoughts in my head, Grey gives a wink, before turning his attention to whatever Liam is pulling out of the fridge.
My hands grip the edge of the counter, so I don’t fall as I lean forward. “Hey, grab me a water.”
Liam spins around from where he’s standing and narrows his eyes at me. “You know, Van. We never had those shots.”
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